Inflammation and the Brain

 

Chronic inflammation can lead to all sorts of seemingly unrelated problems, including allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, colitis, dermatitis, sinusitis, arthritis, and any other health condition that ends in “itis.” If chronic inflammation establishes itself in the brain, it leads to measurable brain shrinkage, especially in the areas associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

A 2019 study from the University of Birmingham in the UK concluded that the sluggishness or "brain fog" that people report when they are ill, on some medications or  dealing with a chronic condition results from cellular level inflammation in the part of the brain that is responsible for reaching and maintaining a state of mental alertness. The study focused specifically on an area of the brain which is responsible for visual attention. A group of 20 young male volunteers took part and received a salmonella typhoid vaccine that causes temporary inflammation but has few other side effects. The results showed that inflammation specifically affected brain activity related to staying alert, while other attention processes appeared unaffected by the inflammation. 

“This research finding is major step forward in understanding the links between physical, cognitive, and mental health and tells us that even the mildest of illnesses may reduce alertness,” said Professor Jane Raymond of the University’s Centre for Human Brain Health. “Furthermore, subtle changes in brain function may be used as an early marker for cognitive deterioration in patients with inflammatory diseases.”

Your diet is a major factor in determining the level of inflammation in your body. By avoiding inflammatory foods (can you say SUGAR?) you maybe doing your brain a big favor.

Are Potatos Really Evil?

 

Potatoes have acquired a bad reputation. They are on many internet lists and Facebook threads of "foods to avoid". In reality, we probably should cut back a bit on how many potatoes we eat. But they are also extremely nutritious and can be a regular part of a healthy diet.

A small potato, about 5 ounces, contains nearly 1/4 of the daily requirement of potassium. You also get about 1/4 of your daily vitamin B6 as well as significant amounts of iron, vitamin C and magnesium. Even without the skin (leave it on!) you are getting plenty of dietary fiber as well.

Some studies have found links between eating potatoes (and we eat a lot of them.... about 50 pounds per person per year) and cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type-2 diabetes and obesity. The research is neither consistent nor conclusive though. Other studies have found no link at all between potato consumption and mortality. What is a health-conscious person to do?

Here are some tips from Consumer Reports On Health newsletter for making potatoes a part of a healthy diet.

1. Think of potatoes as carbs. Although potatoes are vegetables, it may be more useful to think of them as carbs, more like rice and pasta than broccoli and carrots. They have a high glycemic index for a vegetable, meaning they will cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly after you eat them. Limit your consumption of potatoes and other starchy vegetables (like corn and peas) to no more than 5 cups per week (4 cups for women).

2. Stay away from the french fries. Studies comparing the consumption of fried potatoes to potatoes prepared in other ways have revealed some disturbing differences. Those eating fried potatoes two or three times a week had a 95% increased risk of death from any cause compared with those eating the same amount of non-fried potatoes. Diabetes risk was 66% higher and the risk of hypertension was 37% higher. I know they are good, but make the fries a rare treat.

3. Watch out for the toppings. Piling on the butter, sour cream and cheese piles on the saturated fat and extra calories. Some olive oil and herbs like rosemary, thyme or garlic are a far healthier option. Try coating some cut up potatoes in olive oil and herbs and a little bit of parmesan cheese and then bake them in a hot oven. They may be your new favorite.

4. Move past white. Potatoes come in a whole rainbow of colors, including red, yellow, purple and black. Different colors bring different nutrients to your diet.

There are plenty of good reasons to continue to include potatoes in your diet. Just avoid including them too often, avoid frying them and go for a variety of types and colors. 

High Dose Vitamin D Not Effecting in Preventing Falls

 

Adequate Vitamin D is essential and has many well established health benefits. It promotes calcium absorption in the gut and helps maintain normal bone mineralization. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Vitamin D prevents rickets in children and, together with calcium, helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. It reduces cellular inflammation and supports normal cell growth, muscle and immune system function and even helps modulate glucose metabolism.

Some studies have suggested that high doses of Vitamin D were effective in promoting strength and balance in older adults, and in reducing the risk of falls, a major cause of preventable injury and even death. But a more recent study published in Annals of Internal Medicine has concluded that doses of 1,000IU or more provided no benefit over a daily dose of 200IU. The two-year study was designed to determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation reduces falls in community-dwelling adults 70 years of age and older who are at elevated risk for falls and whose blood levels of vitamin D may be insufficient.

Bruce Troen, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, explained that the well-executed study found that participants assigned to the groups that took either 2,000IU or 4,000IU a day had a statistically significantly greater risk for hospitalization or death than those in the group taking 200 IUs a day. However, he adds, that finding is not conclusive because of several limitations of the study.

The current Safe Upper Limit for Vitamin D, a fat soluble vitamin, is set at 4,000IU per day.

Five Habits that Help Tame Heartburn

 

A study that followed over 42,000 American women for 12 years has identified five lifestyle habits that reduced heartburn/acid reflux symptoms by almost 40%. Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study concluded that the following habits reduced the occurrence and severity of the condition.

1. Maintaining a healthy weight. Carrying too much weight for your height increases the prevalence of reflux diseases. Don't know your target weight? This chart will get you in the ballpark.

2. Never smoked. If you do smoke, for the love of god stop.

3. Doing about 30 minutes of moderate activity every day. You don't have to be a gym rat to enjoy the benefits of exercise. Just get up and move.

4. Drinking no more than two cups of coffee, tea or carbonated beverages per day. That's total, not each.

5. Eating a regular diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish and poultry.

If these recommendations sound familiar, maybe consider that adopting all or most of them may provide benefits far beyond relief from heartburn.

Just How Bad Is It?

 

We've all heard that processed and "ultra" processed foods eventually harm our health. Whether it is bacon and lunchmeats or potato chips and white bread, processed foods play a role in obesity, hypertension, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, cancer and even mental disorders.

By definition, a processed food is simply one that’s been altered from its original form. So, unless we’re plucking apples directly off a tree or drinking milk straight from a cow, the vast majority of the foods we eat are processed. But basic preparation and preservation techniques certainly don’t turn wholesome foods (like whole grains or frozen vegetables) into “junk.” And just because something has gone through a process doesn’t mean it’s unhealthy to eat. On one end of the spectrum are unprocessed or minimally processed items, like fresh fruits, vegetables, or eggs. On the other end are ultra-processed foods, defined as “industrial formulations with five or more ingredients". In short, ultra-processed foods are probably what many of us already think of simply as processed foods — those shiny, packaged, nothing-to-do-with-nature products found at fast-food restaurants and gas station mini-marts. 

Just how bad are these ultraprocessed foods for you?

In an eight year study of over 22,000 adults published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that a diet high in ultraprocessed foods was associated with an almost 60% higher rate of fatal heart disease and strokes over the eight year study period.

But wait! There's more!

Consuming ultraprocessed foods tended to displace healthier, more nutritious foods in the diet, leading to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. The risk of death from any cause was almost 30% higher among the ultraprocessed food consumers.

What you choose to eat is your decision, and an occasional pizza is probably not going to do you mortal harm. But a steady diet of it likely will.

 

 

I'm Just Curious......

 

At the end of the day, losing weight is as simple as burning more calories than you consume. If you consistently burn more energy (calories) than you take in, you can't help but lose weight. But nobody ever said that simple was the same as easy.

I am curious about what the major roadblocks are for people who struggle to shed weight. Which is the biggest issue standing between you and  your goal weight?

1. Counting calories consumed and burned.

2. Restricting the types and amounts of foods that I eat./Special diets.

3. Changing my tastes so that I can enjoy different foods.

4. Lack of motivation and  external support.

5. Keeping the weight off after I lose it.

6. Something else.  __________________________

For me it was #5. What about you?

Don't Let Carbs Scare You Away from Fruit

 

The US Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines include eating two cups of fruit every day and there is an abundance of evidence that significant health benefits will accrue if you do. Studies have shown that those who eat the least fruit are at more than double the risk of dementia, while other research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the risk of cardiovascular disease was 30% lower among those who ate fruit daily, compared with those who rarely ate fruit.

Despite the clear benefits, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that only 13% of Americans consume enough fruit. And despite what some sellers of supplements might tell you, supplements fall short of making up for a lack of actual fruit in your diet.

Fran Grossman, RD, MS, a nutrition consultant at Mt Sinai Hospital in NYC, recommends stocking up on the following fruits to get the most nutrition for you grocery dollar.

Berries. Any berries. Most are brimming with antioxidants and vitamins A, C and E. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, goji berries and acai berries are especially nutritious. Blueberries are linked to better cognition in older adults. Berries freeze well so buy them in bulk and freeze them yourself for use in smoothies or other recipes.

Cherries. A great source of anthocyannins, a type of flavenoid that are powerful antioxidants. They can be helpful relieving the stiffness of arthritis.

Oranges. Best known for their high vitamin C content, oranges are also good sources of folate, potassium and choline (which can benefit memory). They are high in antioxidants, including zeaxanthin (which may ward off eye diseases such as age related macular degeneration).

Apples.  Apples' reputation for "keeping the doctor away" is well earned. Eating apples has been linked to a reduced risk  for cancer and asthema. "Apples are nutritional powerhouses," says Grossman. The fiber contained in apples supports lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

Bananas. Bananas are a supreme source of potassium and high in fiber. They can help moderate blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

The bottom line is that any fruit is good for you. Yes, they have carbs and sugar but not enough of either to worry about if you are eating just a few servings a day. One exception would be if you are taking ACE inhibitors or ARBs for high blood pressure. There may be too much potassium in certain fruits. Check with your healthcare advisor.

Walk More, Live Longer

 

There is plenty of evidence that regularly walking, like every day, benefits your health no matter what your age. Regular brisk walking improves circulation, makes your heart and lungs work more efficiently and burns calories. It is free, takes no special equipment, no gym membership and can be done alone or with others. It also improves your mood and reduces the effects of stress.

Just in case those are not enough reasons to lace up your walking shoes, a recent study by Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston suggests that it may also help you to live longer.

The study followed 16,741 women with an average age of 72 years for four years, investigating their physical activity. Moderate to vigorous intensity brisk walking was associated with 60-70 percent lower risk of death at the end of the four-year study among the most active women, compared to the least active. And unlike most studies which rely on self-reporting of activity, this one measured their activity using a wearable device called a triaxial accelerometer. Light activity was not associated with a lower death rate.

"If you suffer from any health issues," says Dr. David Thomas, professor of rehabilitation medicine at the Ichan School of Medicine in NYC, "take the precaution of checking with your doctor before beginning a walking program. Start out slow and progress gradually as you become accustomed to the effort."

If you have not been active and want to get walking, here is beginner walking program from the Mayo Clinic. Seriously. Why would you not?

Osteoporosis Is Not Just a "Women's Problem".

 

There is a good reason why consideration of osteoporosis usually focuses on women. Nearly all women experience declining levels of bone-protecting estrogen during menopause, leading to a significant decrease in bone density. In men, bone loss occurs much more slowly and much later in life. Because of this, about 80% of Americans with osteoporosis are women. But there are about 2 million American men with the condition and at least another 12 million who are at increased risk for it.

Doctors routinely test womens' bone mineral density starting at about age 65 but the same testing is rarely done on men, even though the mortality rate for men in the first six months after a hip fracture is about double that for women. Even after suffering a hip fracture, men are unlikely to be tested for osteoporosis. 

According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation men should consider a bone mineral density test starting in their early 60s if they have any of the following heightened risk factors.

Regular us of medication that depletes bone density. Some prescription drugs can deplete bone density over time. These include PPIs used for heartburn, SSRI anti-depressants, antacids, blood thinners and diuretics. Note that this include OTC medications as well as prescriptions.

Low testosterone. Low testosterone is often accompanied by low levels of the hormone estradiol, which functions in a similar way as estrogen to protect your bones.

High cholesterol. While the reason is unclear, a 2019 study identified a strong link between high cholesterol and low bone mineral density.

Low Vitamin D level. About 85% of older adults have a low vitamin D blood level. This is strongly associated with lower bone mineral density and fracture risk.

Family history. A family history of low bone mineral density or fracture, whether in male or female ancestors, increases your risk.

There are things that you can do to reduce your risk, including supplementation with calcium and vitamin D. A good place to begin is with 1,200mg of calcium and 2,000IU of vitamin D daily. But in every case, it is best to consult your doctor to determine the optimum does for you. Weight bearing exercise for 30 minutes several days a week will also help.

And perhaps consider adding a bone mineral density test if you are in your 60s. Forewarned is forearmed.

Dogs Need Good Nutrition Too

 

Study after study shows that overweight owners tend to have overweight pets. When researchers assessed the association between the weight of the pet owner and the weight of their dogs, the slim and normal weight owners had a prevalence of heavy or obese dogs of 14 percent. For an overweight pet owner, that percentage doubles, so that now 28 percent of these dogs are overweight. However, if we look at obese dog owners, that percentage rises all the way up to 35 percent of their companion dogs being heavy or obese. A March 2019 survey of veterinary clinics conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimated that 58% of American dogs are overweight. 

As in the case of humans, being overweight or obese is not just a cosmetic problem, but tends to predispose pets (the problem is not limited to dogs) toward a large number of health problems. These problems include arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease, breathing difficulties, compromised lower immune system function and a predisposition toward certain types of cancer-related tumors. Also as is the case with humans, the root cause is poor diet and lack of exercise.

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Boston offers these five common nutrition mistakes we make when feeding our canine companions.

1. Choosing a food based on the ingredient list.  The ingredients do not tell you if the food actually contains the right nutrients in the right amounts and proportions that your dog needs. Many things that sound good to you are of no real benefit to your pet. More important than the ingredient list is the Statement of Nutritional Adequacy . This provides a guarantee that the pet food is complete and balanced for the animal for which it is intended. The nutritional adequacy statement is often found near the guaranteed analysis of the diet. 

2. Not knowing how many calories we are feeding.  Just as with humans, regularly consuming more calories than expended will lead to weight gain. Here is a calorie calculator to help you estimate your own dog's needs. Overfeeding your dog has predictable results.

3. Too many treats. Veterinarians recommend that no more than 10% of a dogs total daily calories be from foods that are not a part of his regular diet. Again, as with humans, treats tend to be nutritionally deficient so they should never be allowed to crowd out nutritious food or add too many calories. Experiment with different treats to see what your dog likes. Mine thinks carrots are treats. And some treats are small enough to deliver as few as 1 or 2 extra calories.

4. Paying attention to pet food marketing. Just as with humans, pet foods are marketed using slews of misleading and often meaningless terms. "Holistic", gourmet", "senior" and so on have about as much meaning as "natural" does on your own food. That is to say, none.

5. Choosing a food based on price. People tend to think more expensive equals better, and marketers know this. Don't fall for it. Many of the exotic sounding ingredients in high cost pet food do absolutely nothing to improve canine health.

Our pets depend on us to take care of them. If they end up overwieght or obese, it is our fault not theirs.

Study Shows Facemasks Safe During Exercise

 

A study done in October of last year by the University of Saskatchewan concluded that wearing a facemask does not hinder exercise performance. Researchers found no evidence that a mask compromises oxygen uptake or increases the rebreathing of carbon dioxide during strenuous exercise. 

"Our findings are of importance because they indicate that people can wear face masks during intense exercise with no detrimental effects on performance and minimal impact on blood and muscle oxygenation," the researchers stated.

The study involved 14 physically active and healthy men and women, controlled for the effects of diet, previous physical activity, and sleep during the 24 hours prior to the test. Participants were required to do a brief warm-up on a stationary bike. The exercise test involved a progressive increase in the intensity on the bike while they maintained a required pedal rate. Once they could not sustain the pedal rate the test was over.

The researchers assessed the participants once wearing a surgical face mask, once wearing a cloth face mask and once with no face mask. The team recorded the participants' blood oxygen levels and muscle oxygen levels throughout the test using non-invasive measurement tools. No significant differences were detected.

"If people wear face masks during indoor exercise, it might make the sessions safer and allow gyms to stay open during COVID," said Phil Chilibeck, a professor in the USask College of Kinesiology, who was a co-author of the study. "It might also allow sports to continue, including hockey, where transmission of COVID-19 appears to be high."

Note that the study included only "physically active and healthy" individuals.

Fitness Has No Age Limit

 

 

In Anton Chekhov's classic play "Uncle Vanya", Vanya spends a lot of time bemoaning his age and all the missed opportunities of his life, concluding that it is simply too late for him to do anything about it. Don't tell that to James Owen, the author of Just Move: A New Approach to Fitness After 50 and producer of the documentary The Art of Aging Well. 

When Owen Turned 70, he felt mentally fit but physically depleted. His knees were shot, his rotator cuff was immobile and he suffered from frequent debilitating back pain. He could not do a single pushup.

Five years later he was doing 50 pushups every day, his back pain was gone and he had taken up running several days a week. On his 80th birthday his doctor told him that his physical age was now 10 years younger than his chronological age.

Owen says that while working out is not always easy, it is far easier than dealing with the infirmities of old age.

If you are ready to start your own fitness journey, whatever your age, Owen recommends the following.

1. Set a Specific Goal. Don't make your goal "getting fit". Make it " I will be able to walk 2 miles in an hour within 5 months." Or whatever it is you want to achieve. Just make it specific and set a deadline. Then keep it where you see it every day.

2. Be ready for slips and setbacks. No one gets it right out of the gate. You'll have days where you fail to keep with it. Expect them, and refuse to let them derail you. Just get back to it.

3. Start out slow. Owen could not do a single pushup on the day he started working on his fitness. If you have been sedentary, be realistic. Walk to the corner and back. It doesn't matter what you do or how much of it you do, just get started and don't stop. Five sit ups a day? Great! That's 5 more than none.

4. Include all the aspects of fitness in your plan. Aim for cardio, balance and flexibility work every day and strength training 2 or 3 times a week. 

5. Always look ahead. No matter where you are now, you can have better days ahead. You just have to be willing to work for them.

Vanya was 47 years old when he decided it was too late to have a great life. Owen proved him wrong at 70.

Plant-based Diets Increase Bone Fracture Risk

There are very few things in the wellness arena that come as unalloyed good or bad. Most things present as tradeoffs that we have to evaluate and decide what is best for us. Even aspirin, as close to a miracle drug as there is, can cause stomach ulcers and internal bleeding with long-term use.

Plant-based diets justifiably have many vocal advocates. A plant-based diet reduces your risk for many cancers, reduces overall levels of inflammation, provides high levels of anti-oxidants, helps maintain a healthy weight, reduces your risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even some mental health illnesses.

But there is no free plant-based lunch. Being vegetarian or vegan requires more attention to what you eat, particularly to ensuring a diet with all the essential amino acids required to synthesize proteins. Many would consider that a small price to pay for the many benefits.

Now a recently completed study of 55,000 people in the UK has concluded that vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians (its a thing, Google it) are at much higher risk of bone fractures as they age. This study builds upon previous research revealing that plant-based diets can often fail to adequately support bone health. For example, vegetarians suffer from far more cavities and other tooth problems than those who eat meat. The 18 year long study found that vegans, vegetarians, and even fish-eating pescatarians all exhibited higher risks of fractures than meat-eaters, in some cases, astronomically so according to lead author Tammy Tong, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford.

While plant-based diets are associated with lower body weight, one of the reasons they are so popular, adjusting for BMI did not remove the stubbornly high risk of fractures for those who do not eat meat. In particular, vegans suffered from a higher specific risk for broken legs and hips.

Specifically, the study found that vegetarians suffered 4.1 more fractures per 1,000 people than meat eaters, while the increase for vegans was 19.4. The study adjusted for BMI, socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and medical history. Researchers theorized that calcium is more bioavailable in a diet that includes meat. 

If you are consuming a plant-based diet, this is certainly not a reason to stop or to add meats to it. There are many demonstrated benefits to avoiding meat. But you may want to pay particular attention to bone density and health as you age.

Plastics Pollution in Shellfish

 

It is estimated that up to 13 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the ocean each year—the equivalent of a garbage truck load’s worth every minute of every day. Fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals can become entangled in or ingest plastic debris, causing suffocation, starvation, and drowning. Humans are not immune to this threat. While plastics are estimated to take up to hundreds of years to fully decompose, some of them break down much more quickly into tiny particles, called microplastics, which in turn end up in the seafood that we eat. 

A macroanalysis of over 50 studies conducted between 2014 and 2020 investigated the levels of microplastics contamination globally in fish and shellfish. Through mismanagement of the disposal of plastics in the oceans these tiny particles make their way into the tissues of marine animals, with mussels, oysters and scallops showing the highest levels of plastic pollution. Study author, Evangelos Danopoulos, a postgraduate student at Hull York Medical School said: “No one yet fully understands the full impact of microplastics on the human body, but early evidence from other studies suggests they do cause harm. Microplastics have been found in various parts of organisms such as the intestines and the liver. Seafood species like oysters, mussels and scallops are consumed whole whereas in larger fish and mammals only parts are consumed. Therefore, understanding the microplastic contamination of specific body parts, and their consumption by humans, is key.”

Animal research has linked consumption of microplastics particles to infertility, cellular inflammation and various cancers.

Think about all this when you buy things in plastic containers and how you might reduce your own use of plastics at home and work. Every little bit helps.

Caring for an Aging Brain

 

As we age, memory loss and dementia become what we most fear. We fear it more than cancer. Because it robs us of our ability to care for ourselves, to interact with our friends and family and, ultimately of our ability to be us. Many other deadly diseases can now be treated or even reversed. Alzheimer's can't.

The good news is that dementia is not inevitable. And while there is not presently any way to guarantee you will not suffer from it, there is  a great deal that you can do, right now and every day, to minimize your risk.

Cognitive impairment and dementia are diseases, like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. And like these other diseases, they rarely have one single and definitive cause. Yet modern medicine treats cognitive decline as though it were one single thing with one single cause, and such treatment as there is usually targets only one single factor of the disease. This "one-size-fits-all" approach lends itself to drug treatments but often does little good for the patient.

Dr. Ginger Schechter, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer of AffirmativHealth in Sonoma, CA where she focuses on cognitive health. She offers the following lifestyle steps to minimizing your risk and minimizing the degree of impairment if you are affected.

Keep your blood sugar levels under control. Many recent studies have found strong links between blood glucose and insulin levels and dementia. In fact, some doctors have take to referring to cognitive decline as "Type-3 Diabetes". High glucose levels create inflammation in the brain, which is a risk factor in cognitive decline. The best way to control blood sugar levels is with a healthy diet.

Exercise. Regular moderate exercise preserves brain tissue, stimulates areas of the brain involved in cognition and enhances the ability of neurons to generate new connections that improve memory and learning.

Adequate sleep. Sleep is when the body does its repair and maintenance work and also when the brain forms new memories. Poor sleep is strongly linked to cognitive decline and Alzheimer's. If you get less than 7 or more hours of sleep every day, you are at measurably higher risk.

Managing stress. Stress is not a bad thing in itself. It can prompt us to perform better or extract ourselves from a dangerous situation. But when stress becomes chronic it causes the release of inflammatory hormones like cortisol. Long term exposure to stress can damage cognitive health. Try to become aware of the stress in your life and find ways to deal with it through things like breathing, meditation, yoga or anything that helps you relax. No, a couple of Scotches do not count.

These may all sound like the same basic advice we get for managing many health issues, and of course they are. But here is one more that is specifically helpful in lowering your risk of cognitive decline.

Socialize more. Making and maintaining strong social connections with family and friends can significantly reduce your risk of cognitive issues, by as much as 70% according to some studies. 

The bottom line is this. There is a great deal that you can do starting right now to reduce your risk of dementia and cognitive decline. It is never too late to begin. But you do have to begin. So what are you waiting for? Remember to take action. While you still can.

Want to Live to Be 100?

 

In 2021, more than 100,000 Americans will be at least 100 years old. This is nearly twice as many as in 2010, and by 2060 experts predict that more than 550,000 Americans will have passed the 100 year mark.

Charles Inlander, coauthor of 100 Ways to Live to Be 100, offers the following suggestions for reaching that age yourself.

Keep up with your medical screenings. Most medical problems can be treated most easily and effectively when they are diagnosed early. So keep current on your routine screenings and tests such as colonoscopies, prostate exams, etc. And don't neglect regular checkups and wellness visits with your primary care provider.

Get vaccinated. Be sure you are up to date on all of your immunizations. The older you get, the more vulnerable you can be to illness so practice prevention.

Practice safety. Accidents are one of the top causes of death among seniors. Falls alone account for some 40,000 deaths a year. Accident proof your home, always use your seatbelt when driving and be alert for side effects from any medications that you use.

Maintain good nutrition. The many benefits of healthy eating are well documented. It is never too late to improve your diet. Cut back on alcohol, salt, sugar and saturated fat. Add plenty of vegetables and fruit to your meals. Many seniors neglect to eat well because the find preparing meals challenging. Don't be one of them.

Exercise. No matter how old you are, exercise is key to maintaining health and mobility. As little as 15 minutes a day of moderate exercise reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. Exercise may also help ward off dementia.

These things are good advice for anyone, but if you plan to get that letter from the President congratulating you on your 100th birthday they are especially important for you. Get started today.

Unintended Consequences

 

The Law of Unintended Consequences posits that each and every purposeful act leads to results which are unintended and unforeseen, apart from those which were intended. Often these consequences are negative or even in opposition to the act which produced them. You hear about this Law often in regard to legislation. It turns out that the Clean Air Act of 1970 and subsequent related laws were subject to the Law of Unintended Consequences. But in this cases, the consequences turned out to be wonderfully positive.

Air pollution has numerous well documented ill effects on humans. It is estimated that 16% of all deaths, worldwide, are directly or indirectly related to pollution. Air pollution contributes to myriad health problems and medical conditions including cardiovascular disease, liver and blood diseases, headaches, anxiety, eye/nose/throat irritation, breathing conditions such as asthma, nervous system disorders, lung cancer, problems of the reproductive system, and other chronic and long-term diseases. 

The animals with whom we share the earth are similarly affected. 

A study by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Oregon, Eugene, estimates that the clean air legislation of the past 40 years has saved the lives of 20% of all birdlife in the United States. A total of about 1.5 billion birds. The rules not only protected our feathered friends directly, but also contributed to healthier  plants and larger populations of the insects upon which the birds feed.

“Our research shows that the benefits of environmental regulation have likely been underestimated,” says Ivan Rudik, the study’s lead author and Ruth and William Morgan Assistant Professor at Cornell’s Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. “Reducing pollution has positive impacts in unexpected places."

It seems as though every now and then Murphy calls one in our favor.

No-kill, Lab-grown Meat Approved for Sale

 

US company Eat Just has received approval from Singapore's food safety agency for sale of its laboratory produced “chicken bites” product. The approval of the cultured meat, produced in bioreactors without the slaughter of an animal, for human consumption has been hailed as a landmark moment across the meat industry.

The meat is grown in a bioreactor from chicken cells and then combined with plant based ingredients. The approval could open the door to a future when all meat is produced without the killing of livestock, the company said.

Dozens of firms are working to develop cultivated chicken, beef and pork, with a view to slashing the impact of industrial livestock production on the climate as well as providing cleaner, drug-free and cruelty-free meat. Currently, about 130 million chickens are slaughtered every day for meat, and 4 million pigs. By weight, 60% of the mammals on earth are livestock, 36% are humans and only 4% are wild.

Initial availability will be limited, the company said, and the bites would be sold only in a restaurant in Singapore. The product would be significantly more expensive than conventional chicken until production was scaled up, but Eat Just said it would ultimately be cheaper. The cells used to start the process came from a cell bank and did not require the slaughter of a chicken because cells can be taken from biopsies of live animals. The nutrients supplied to the growing cells were all from plants.

Josh Tetrick, of Eat Just, said: “I think the approval is one of the most significant milestones in the food industry in the last handful of decades. It’s an open door and it’s up to us and other companies to take that opportunity. My hope is this leads to a world in the next handful of years where the majority of meat doesn’t require killing a single animal or tearing down a single tree.”